Police dashcam video of the violent arrest of 26-year-old black elementary school teacher Breaion King by white police officer Bryan Richter on June 15, 2015 was obtained by American-Statesman and KVUE-TV and released Thursday. The video showed King—who told police she weighed 112 pounds—being thrown to the ground twice. In a second video a police officer was caught on camera telling King people were afraid of black people because of their "violent tendencies." Both incidents are under investigation.
"When he first pulled me over I assumed he was pulling me over for speeding," King said in a video to American Statesman.
In the video King is seen getting out of her car and then being told to return to it. Richter then tells her to close the door but when she says something inaudible he tells her to step out of the car before trying to remove her from the car. King is immediately heard crying, "Oh my god" while the officer shouts "Stop resisting."
He tells her to get out of the car again and she responds, "Do not touch me." He throws her to the ground. While she's down there he tells her she's under arrest and later warns her that he's "about to tase her." Once she gets up he throws her to the ground again.
"I was in disbelief. It was like an out-of-body experience," King said adding that she "feared for her life."
Richter wrote in the incident report that King had an "uncooperative attitude" which made him take quick action reportedAmerican Statesman. In the video he's seen telling officers that Kind allegedly swung at him and that's when he threw her to the ground. He also wrote that he didn't know whether King was armed.
Chief of Police Art Acevedo toldAmerican Statesman Richter was given training and counseling after Austin police reviewed his use of force.
Another video obtained by American Statesman shows a conversation between King and Officer Patrick Spradlin after King asked to be driven to the police station by a different officer saying she didn't trust Richter.
During that conversation Spradlin admits racism still exists and when King asked why people were afraid of black people Spradlin responded because of "violent tendencies." He said he didn't blame white people for being afraid of black people. Spradlin said some of them look "intimidating."
This week Acevedo toldAmerican Statesman the department was reviewing Richter's supervisors' decisions after the incident in addition to an investigation of Spradlin's comments. Because of state civil service law Spradlin cannot be disciplined with anything more than a written reprimand because the incident happened more than six months ago.
"After reviewing both videos, I and our leadership team were highly disturbed and disappointed in both the way Ms. King was approached and handled and in the mindset that we saw on display in those videos," Acevedo said. "But there is another piece, which has caused concerns as to our review process and the systems we have in place."
Acevedo also stressed the need to help the community feel comfortable in in filing complaints against police in order to "weed out bad officers and bad behavior."
According to Travis County Attorney David Escamilla King's resisting arrest charge was dropped reported American Statesman. King, who said she saw a doctor the day after the arrest, walked away with scrapes and bruises and paid a $165 fine for speeding and court costs.
King is reportedly thinking about a lawsuit against the Austin Police Department and Richter.
